


Book Fair Magic

by ibelieveinturtles



Series: Have Your Cake And Eat It [10]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Book fairs, Books, F/M, Gift Fic, Magic, Originally Posted on Tumblr, birthday fic, here be dragons, marvelous birthdays, prompts, secondhand books
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-02 14:48:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17266145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ibelieveinturtles/pseuds/ibelieveinturtles
Summary: Darcy with Bucky and/or Steve for nobutsiriuslywhat





	Book Fair Magic

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for [marvelous birthdays](https://archiveofourown.org/series/700227)  
> I'll be posting all my birthday fics in a series over the following week or so, time and work permitting.

 

* * *

 

When Bucky asked Darcy to go shopping with him on the weekend, this wasn't what she'd expected. What she expected was maybe a trip to the mall, or the local farmers’ market, followed by a nice lunch at a cute little cafe (or a picnic if they went to the market). What she actually got was something completely different.

She hadn't really been paying much attention during the drive from the compound, so when she finally looked up from her phone, it was to see that they were pulling into the car park of the local stadium.

“Where the hell have you brought me?” she asked as Bucky parked next to a nice shiny black truck.

“It's the book fair, Darce. They're holding it in the stadium this year. There's over a million books.” 

“A million books?” Darcy repeated, blinking at him.

He gave her a brilliant smile, and then pulled a wad of folded up paper out of his jacket pocket and waved it at her. “Look - I made a wish list.”

“Gimme that!” She made an unsuccessful grab at the paper as Bucky got out of the car. “Can't I see it?” she called, quickly opening her door and hurrying to join Bucky at the rear of the car. 

“Course,” he said, handing over the list, along with a kiss on the cheek. “I'm gonna need help finding these.”

Darcy grinned as she skimmed through the list, eyes widening in amazement as she turned over page after page.

“Bucky, there's gotta be like, at least two hundred books on this list. Surely you don't expect to find all of them today?”

“Actually, some of those aren't books; they're authors I want to start collecting,” Bucky said, grinning enthusiastically as he pulled a large wheeled suitcase out of the back of the car.

“Uh - what's that for?” Darcy asked.

Bucky glanced at her. “To put the books in, of course,” he explained. “You don't expect us to carry that many books, do you?”

Darcy narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend, tapping the list on her chin. “You know, you could've told me where we were going.”

Bucky draped an arm over her shoulders, pulling her close against him as they set off towards the stadium, the suitcase trundling noisily behind them.

“I wanted to surprise you,” he said, still smiling.

“And that's good and all, but I would've made a list of my own, if I’d known!” Darcy complained. “Now, I'm going in unprepared.”

“Look on the third page,” Bucky suggested.

Darcy fumbled with the pages, pulling page three to the front. It was titled, ‘Darcy's Wish List.’ She ran her eyes down it quickly, and then read through again more slowly, trusting Bucky to guide her through the parking lot safely.

“How did you know these are books I want?” Darcy asked, taking careful note of a few titles that she didn't even remember mentioning.

“I listen,” Bucky said, “and I remember.” He tapped his nose. “Now - are you ready to find some books?”

“Yeah.” Darcy looked up at him, raising herself on tiptoes to plant a kiss firmly on his lips. “I'm ready.”

~☆~

Bucky browsed the tables with the same intensity he conducted missions. Darcy watched, mesmerised, as he not only searched out all of his own books, but struck up conversations with his fellow book-hunters, often directing them to where he remembered seeing a book or books they were after. The longer they were there, the more people came to him for help as word of his helpfulness spread.

Three hours later, the suitcase was full to bursting. They'd run into several other Avengers and support staff, and they were about to enter the last area after having a short break for food and drink. 

She glanced to the side as they went through the final door, smiling at a teenage girl reading aloud to her younger companion about an army of brave knights going off to battle an evil monster.

She was happily browsing the last tables when she felt the floor shudder beneath her feet. She didn't pay it much attention until another, stronger shudder caused the tables to shake and rattle. Other people noticed as well this time, and there was a quiet murmuring and a rustle of unease passed through the room. 

The next rumble was big enough to shake books off tables and knock people from their feet. Bucky was at Darcy's side by the time the shaking stopped. People began rushing for the exits.

“Is it an earthquake?” Darcy asked. “Was that an earthquake?”

Bucky shook his head, and the whole room shook again.

“Earthquakes aren't this regular,” he said, a worried frown creasing his brow. “C’mon. We need to get out of here.”

They followed the crowd out the door, Darcy gripping tightly to Bucky’s jacket as he maneuvered through the crush. She could hear people yelling directions up ahead and, before she knew what was happening, they'd been swept along, and out into the field. 

Bucky pulled her to the side as soon as there was space, but, as they turned around, the reason for the screaming lumbered into view.

“What the fucking- Is that a dragon?” Darcy screeched, trailing behind Bucky as they ran for cover. 

“I didn't think dragons were real,” Bucky said, pulling her behind a retaining wall. “But it sure does look like a dragon.”

“What do we do?” Darcy asked, heart pounding. Bucky looked around. There were people everywhere - climbing the stairs to the next exit, huddling behind walls, lying beneath seats with hands over their heads - but there was very little panicking. 

“Call Hill and get the rest of the team here,” he said, turning back to Darcy. “Then stay put, unless that thing heads in your direction. I'm going out there.”

“What the hell can you do against a dragon?” Darcy hissed at him as she dialled.

“Distract it?” Bucky shrugged. “At least I won't be doing nothing.” He gave her a quick kiss, and then darted away. Darcy watched him go, and then gave a small cheer as something red and silver whirled past, hitting the dragon on a shoulder before rebounding. 

“Hill.” The phone picked up.

“Maria, it's Darcy. I'm at the stadium with Bucky and there’s a dragon in the loose,” she blurted out. “Steve's here too but they'll probably need backup asap.”

“On it,” Maria replied in her crisp, efficient voice. “Are you safe?”

Darcy nodded instinctively. “Well, I’m not in any immediate danger, and all the civilians are evacuating calmly. They're- Holy shit. What the hell?”

A gleam of light caught her attention, and she turned to see a row of mounted knights ranged across the other end of the field.

“Darcy?”

“There's fucking… holy shit, are they knights? Maria, what are knights without fancy knight armour called?”

“What?” 

“It’s dudes on horses Maria! It's fucking Lord of The Rings in here! They've got swords and everything!”

“The rest of the team is on its way. Get out of there, Darcy.”

“I'm getting!” 

Darcy shoved her phone in her pocket, looking around to see a few stragglers still climbing the stairs. She dashed after them, falling to her knees as an almighty crash reverberated through the stands. She half-turned to see the dragon smash it's way through the other side of the stands with Steve, Bucky, and the knights hot on its heels.

Someone stopped beside her.

“Are you okay?”

It was the teenager from earlier, her younger sibling holding tightly to her hand.

“Yeah, I'm good. Come on. Let's get you guys to safety, huh?”

“I think this is my fault,” the girl gasped as they raced up the stairs.

“What?”

“I was reading Mikey a story,” she said. “I swear, I didn't know this would happen.”

Darcy stopped and turned around.

“I remember - I walked past you. It was about knights battling an evil monster.”

“Yeah. I'm usually so careful about what I read, but I've only ever brought little things out before.”

“Before?” Darcy gaped at her. “You've done this before?”

“She reads me butterflies and flowers when I'm sad,” Mikey piped up.

“Can you read them back in?” Darcy asked.

“They usually disappear as soon as I stop reading.” She wiped away a tear. “This has never happened before.”

“Okay. That's okay. We can work this out. What’s your name?”

“Simone.”

“Simone. Right. Have you still got the book?” 

As Simone rummaged through her bag for the book, Darcy looked around again. The dragon, the knights, and the superheroes had all left the stadium, but she could still hear roaring in the distance.

“Got it,” Simone said.

Darcy sat down, Simone next to her, and opened the book. “Where were you up to?”

They flipped through until Simone found her place. “I was in the middle of this sentence here,” she said.

“When things usually go away,” Darcy asked, “is it when you finish the book, or the page or the chapter?”

“Usually I just read short picture books,” Simone replied. “We finish them in like, ten or fifteen minutes.”

Darcy thought for a moment. “Finish the sentence.”

Simone read the rest of the sentence she'd been reading. They listened, but the roars and screams still rent the air.

“Keep going then,” Darcy insisted. “Finish the chapter.”

Simone kept reading. Finishing the chapter made no difference, so she kept going, reading faster and faster as she got closer to the end of the book. It seemed like an age, but barely fifteen minutes later, Simone read “The End,” closed the book with a snap, and suddenly the only noise left were sirens.

~☆~

Darcy squinted into the sun as Bucky appeared in front of her.

“Did you slay the dragon?” She grinned at him.

“No, I did not. It disappeared, along with several dozen mounted warriors with swords. I did, however, get this.”

He held out a shimmery scale.

“Is that- Oh my gods, is that a dragon scale?” Darcy asked, her eyes going wide with delight.

“It is. Don't worry, we didn't actually hurt it,” he assured her. “It seemed to be moulting. I think that's why it was so angry. Well, that and the guys with swords chasing after it.”

She laughed and hugged him. “Best book fair ever, but I think I'm ready to go home now.”

“Yeah, about that…”

Fifteen minutes later, Darcy stared at the car in disbelief. 

“Bucky - why is there a sword sticking out of the windscreen of our car?”

  
  


* * *

 

Picture originally posted on REDDIT

**Author's Note:**

> If you think this fic needs a sequel or continuation, feel free to request it for YOUR birthday fic [here](https://marvelousbirthdays.tumblr.com/ask) but please, read [The Rules](https://marvelousbirthdays.tumblr.com/rules) first.
> 
> I'll also be including some other fics I've written for birthdays NOT associated with marvelous birthdays.
> 
> My Tumblr, if you're interested, is [ibelieveinturtles](http://ibelieveinturtles.tumblr.com/)


End file.
